General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: atmavichar100 on September 08, 2014, 05:28:42 PM

Today i.e September 8 is Swami Sivananda's Birtdhday and I have started this thread on this date as a mark of respect to this great soul whose practical teachings on Yoga & Vedanta had a great impact on me and it shaped me a lot :"Here is the first quote

Put your heart mind and soul into even the smallest acts. This is the secret of success." - Swami Sivananda

Need for daily self analysisDaily self-analysis or self-examination is an indispensable requisite. Then alone can you remove your defects and can grow rapidly in spirituality. A gardener watches the young plants very carefully. He removes the weeds daily. He puts a strong fence around them. He waters them at the proper time. Then alone they grow beautifully and yield fruits quickly. Even so, you should find out your defects through daily introspection and self-analysis and then eradicate them through suitable methods~Swami Sivananda

Advice to spiritual aspirants - retire periodically from worldly atmosphere The life of a spiritual aspirant in the world is verily like a fierce struggle and fight with deadly serpent. Samsara or worldly life is a terrible and deadly serpent. Man must keep constant and alert watchfulness lest the Samsara-sarpa take you unawares. Keep the twin eyes of Viveka (discrimination) and Vichara (enquiry) wide open. At times the man becomes poisoned in the course of his Vyavahara (worldly activities). He must retire periodically from the worldly atmosphere and take recourse to Satsanga (association with the wise), Sadhana, seclusion and silent meditation~Swami Sivananda

Here is an excellent view from Swami Satyananda ( Disciple of Swami Sivananda and also founder of Bihar School of Yoga ) on Swami Sivananda's Innocent Faith and Purity

Swami Sivananda was not intellectual; he was purely a bhakta, with a very innocent mind. If anyone came to him or wrote to him with problems, at once he would ask everybody to please sit down, close their eyes and repeat the mantra for that person's recovery. He had such faith that immediately after the mantra was repeated, he would have us write a letter saying, 'We have conducted the mantra prayer for you and now you will be alright.'

Unless you have faith, you cannot believe in this. We are all intellectuals. We know all the mantras, but we have no faith in them. If we practise a mantra for someone who is sick, we will not dare to write and tell him, because we cannot be sure he has gotten better. Whereas faith leaves no room for doubt, knowledge has fissures in it. I am not against intellect, but at the same time its limitations must be pointed out.

Faith is very innocent but it is so powerful that the miracles you see in the lives of the great saints are a product of that innocence. Innocence is not childishness; it is the blossoming of the purity in man's structure. To be innocent you don't have to do anything or be anything. Rather, whatever you have acquired you have to throw away: knowledge, proceeds, wealth, power, status and political and religious background. You have to believe, 'I am nothing.' When this attitude takes hold within you, it becomes the centre of faith and in Swami Sivananda I found this faith in absolutely living form.

Note : Most of the messages of Swami Sivananda here will be directed to the Mind ,Body and not to Atma ( which is what Bhagavan Ramana always points to ) .This should not be seen as a contradiction as Swami Sivananda's advise to aspirants is to first prepare the mind and body before you focus on Atma and the reasons are given below .

When it comes to Swami Sivananda's Teachings ,I wish to point out that his teachings will be a combination of Yoga and Vedanta . He combined the teachings of both Yoga and Vedanta and in fact he started the first Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy in Rishikesh to train spiritual aspirants in the Science of Yoga & Vedanta . He used the Science of Hatha Yoga , Raja Yoga and also Bhakti Yoga to basically prepare the body , mind & heart to make it fit to receive the Atma Jnana i.e preparing the body ( Hatha Yoga ) ,mind ( Raja Yoga ) and heart( Bhakthi Yoga ) . In fact his entire mission was to prepare a spiritual aspirant fit enough for Atma Jnana .In traditional terminology this qualification is called "Sadhana Chatusthaya- Four Fold Qualifications " .But at the same time Swami Sivananda knew that few aspirants are very ripe and they do not need this preliminary steps and are fully qualified for Atma Jnana and he used to pick those people and send them to Swami Tapovan for receiving Atma Jnana .In his book "Sadhana Chatushtaya " , Swami Sivananda has mentioned in the end of the book that there are few people who may feel that going through all these preliminary disciplines are too time consuming and they just want to go ahead with the direct path and Swami Sivananda has welcomed that approach also .He considered such aspirants to be highly mature and they are fit for the direct path from the start itself .This is what Swami Sivananda has said in conclusion :"A first class student can adopt this method , because he had cultivated the four means in his previous birth .A mediocre student will not be able to think of Brahman at the very outset .How can one think of Brahman when the mind is filled with impurities , when it is turbulent and the senses are jumping and revolting ? Absolutely impossible .He may sit for thinking on the Self , but he will be building castles in the air and thinking of other objects .He will mistake deep sleep for samadhi .Many are delued in this manner .They do not have any spiritual progress . They can have no idea of Brahman .It is only the mind that is rendered pure by the practice of Viveka , Vairagya , Sama , Dama etc that can have the definite conception of Brahman .Ideas of Brahman cannot be lodged in a restless , impure mind ."- Swami Sivananda

The reason why I am sharing the above message is that I have myself gone through the Yoga Training of Swami Sivananda through the institution of one of his senior disciple by name Swami Vishnu devananda who was the founder of the International Sivananada Yoga Vedanta Centres worldwide ( www.sivananda.org (http://www.sivananda.org) and this institution should should not be confused with the Divine Life Society / Sivananda Ashram at Rishikesh whose website is http://www.sivanandaonline.org/public_html/ (http://www.sivanandaonline.org/public_html/) ) I did get lot of benefit from the same and sharing here some of the good things that I learned from those Yoga Sadhanas .

This is the Mother River Ganga in Rishikesh , Ram Jhula area . The Sivananda Ghat is visible . The Sivananda Ashram is much above this .Just like you cant separate Arunachala from Bhagavan Ramana , you cant separate Mother Ganga from Swami Sivananda . Swami Sivananda's room was on the banks of River Ganga adjoining the Ghat . He did not stay in the Ashram but used to go from his room up to the Ashram only to Give Talks , Satsangh and supervise the works . This is my favorite spot to sit silently during my annual trips to Rishikesh .

Swami Sivananda had many disciples but beauty of Swami Sivananda was that he shaped some of his disciples to become powerful spiritual lights the world over guiding many people .Many of the disciples of Swami Sivananda went all over the world and set up institutions carrying his message indifferent forms . Some of his notable disciples are :

1) Swami Krishnananda ( a great Vedantic speaker , spiritual writer and spiritual guide and who too took over the Divine Life Society in Rishikesh after Swami Sivananda's Samadhi ) http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/index.html (http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/index.html)2) Swami Chidananda ( a great Saint and a spiritual guide to many people and who also took charge of the Divine Life Society after Swami Sivananda's MahaSamadhi ) .

3) Swami Chinmayanada ( a great Vedantic Teacher who started the Chinmaya Missions world over . Swami Sivananda was his diksha guru but then later Swami Sivananda sent him to Swami Tapovan for Vedantic studies ) .http://www.chinmayamission.com/ (http://www.chinmayamission.com/)4) Swami Venkatesananda - a great teacher , speaker and write of spiritual books . He is popular for his book on Yoga Vashishta . http://www.swamivenkatesananda.org/ (http://www.swamivenkatesananda.org/)

5) Swami Satyananda - again a great Yogi and who started the Bihar School of Yoga . He reviewed the Kriya Yoga Sadhana and Many Yoga Sadhana . Bihar School of Yoga has published many books on Yoga Sadhana .http://www.biharyoga.net/ (http://www.biharyoga.net/)

6) Swami Satchidananda - a great Yogi who started the Integral Yoga Institute in America .His book on Patanjali Yoga Sutra is quite popular .http://iyiny.org/ (http://iyiny.org/) Dr.Dean Ornish who wrote the book "Reversing the Heart Disease " was a student of Swami Satchidananda and that book deals with how to reverse heart disease through the science of Yoga .

7) Swami Vishnu devananda - a great Yogi who founded the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres world over with Head Quarters in Quebec , Canada http://www.sivananda.org/ (http://www.sivananda.org/). He was a master of Hatha Yoga & Raja Yoga and famous for his books "Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga " , "Meditation & Mantras ", & commentary on Hatha Yoga Pradipika .He was the first one to structure the Yoga Teachings in the ancient Gurukula method of learning through his Yoga Teachers Training Courses ,Advanced Yoga Taechers Training Courses ,Sadhana Intensives etc . He did not believe much in giving lectures or writing books and wanted people to get immersed in Yoga Sadhana practically . He is my Yoga Guru .Even though I have not met him personally I went through all the levels of Yoga training in his institute and was fortunate to be trained and guided by his direct disciples . The Practical Yoga training that I received at the Sivananda Ashrams of Swami Vishnu devananda was the best thing that happened in my life .

8 Swami Chaitanyananda - http://chaitanyadham.tripod.com/ (http://chaitanyadham.tripod.com/)a great Vedantic Teacher who remained quite reclusive in the Himalayas in his Uttar Kashi Ashram .He was one of the few people ( along with Swami Chinmayananda ) selected by Swami Sivananda to undergo Vedantic studies under Swami Tapovan . Though very reclusive he was well known among the spiritual community in Himalayas and was also called as Uttar Kashi Swami . I was blessed to have his darshan when he came down from the Himalayas after many decades of stay there and had wonderful conversations with him . He cleared many of my spiritual doubts , knocked out all the stupid and wrong opinions I had about the Vedantic Tradition and other matters pertaining to spirituality and made be aware that Yoga Sadhana without Vedantic Study is incomplete and I understood the same after I started attending the Vedantic Classes of Swami Paramarthananda , a great Vedantic Teacher ( belonging to the Arsha Vidya Group of Teachers ) .

The list goes on but these are the most popular ones that I am aware of .

In the beginning we see God's Grace working behind a veil and understand it vaguely. As we become purified and our faith in Him increases, we see clearly how His Grace works. Then our losses, failures and sorrows have little meaning. We see them as opportunities for making our contact with God more intimate.

Every wrong action or crime brings its own punishment, in accordance with the law of retribution. The law of causation, the law of action and reaction, the law of compensation and the law of retribution-all these operate together. He who robs another man robs himself. He who hurts another man hurts himself first. He who cheats another cheats himself first. Every wrong action causes punishment first in the inner nature or soul and externally in circumstances in the form of pain, misery, loss, failure, misfortune, disease, etc.

Man is ignorant. He is swayed by impulses, wrath, passion, attachment, pride and repulsion. He does various sorts of wicked actions. His intellect becomes perverted. He loses his memory. His understanding gets clouded by selfishness and greed. He does not know what he is exactly doing. Later on he repents. Discipline of the Indriyas is necessary. He should remember the law of causation, the law of action and reaction, and the law of retribution at every step, at every moment of his daily life. He should control his emotions and impulses through the practice of Pranayama and meditation. Then only will he not do any wrong action.

Remember that God is neither partial nor unjust. You suffer on account of your own wicked actions. Sow the seeds which will bring pleasant fruits and which will make you happy herein and hereafter. Do not sow the seeds which will bring unpleasant fruits and which will make you miserable and unhappy in this life or hereafter. Be cautious in doing your daily duties. Watch every thought, word and action. Go to the root and purify the thoughts first. Prayer, Japa, meditation, study of philosophical books, pure food, Vichara and Satsanga will purify your mind and eradicate ignoble and wicked thoughts. Observe the vow of silence, you will then be able to control your speech. Practise Yama and Niyama, Ahimsa, Satyam, Asteyam, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha. Develop Sattvic qualities. Slowly eradicate negative qualities. By these practices you will not be able to do any wrong action. The force of Sattvic habits will goad you on to do virtuous actions only.

Orthodox Christians and theologians believe that God settles and fixes the destiny of a man before his birth. This is not logical and tenable. The hypothesis falls to the ground on account of its unsound nature. Man becomes like a piece of straw that is tossed about hither and thither in the wind. He has no independence and freedom. This makes God partial, unjust and whimsical. The moral responsibility and liberty of a man are destroyed. The man becomes like a prisoner whose hands and legs are tied with chains. Why should God make one happy and another unhappy? Is He so whimsical and eccentric? Why should one get His Grace before he is born? Is he so biased? If God is all-merciful why can He not make all equally noble, virtuous, happy, good, moral and spiritual? Why is one born blind? Why should a sinner be responsible for his actions? Is he pre-ordained to sin? Why should he suffer owing to the whim of such a Creator? Questions like these remain a puzzle if you accept the theory of 'pre-ordination and Grace'. The doctrine of Karma alone will give satisfaction. It is sound. It appeals to reason. It throws a flood of dear light. Everyone reaps the fruits of his own actions. Man can do and undo his destiny by his own thoughts and character. He is a free agent. He may be a bad man in this birth, but he can change his thoughts, habits, tendencies and character and can become a good man or a saint in the next birth. He has free will. He can choose between two alternatives at every step. The theory of 'preordination and Grace' cannot be accepted. It falls to the ground as it is unsound and untenable.

The doctrine of Karma only can explain the mysterious problem of good and evil in this world. The doctrine of Karma only can bring solace, contentment and strength to the afflicted and the desperate. It solves our difficulties and problems of life. It gives encouragement to the hopeless and the forlorn. It pushes a man to right thinking, right speech and right action. It brings a brilliant future for that man who lives according to this universal law. If all people understand this law correctly and discharge their daily duties carefully they would rise to sublime heights in the ladder of spirituality. They will be moral and virtuous and have a happy, peaceful and contented life. They can bear the burden of Samsara with patience, endurance and strength of mind. There will not be any room for complaint when they see inequalities in birth, fortune, intelligence and capacities. There will be heaven on earth. All will rejoice even in suffering. Greed, jealousy, hatred, anger and passion will vanish. Virtue will reign supreme everywhere. We will have a glorious Satyayuga now with peace and plenty everywhere. Blessed is the man who understands and lives in the law, for he will soon attain God-consciousness and become one with the Law-giver. Then the law will no longer operate on him.

The whole gospel of the Bhagavadgita is nothing but the technique of the blending of knowledge and activity. We usually think that knowledge means not doing anything and activity means working without knowledge. Sri Krishna tells us that knowledge does not mean understanding without work, nor work means activity without knowledge. It is very difficult to understand what knowledge and action are. Action is the outward expression of knowledge, and knowledge is the inner reality of action. This may be said to be the central theme of the Bhagavadgita.- Swami Krishnananda

HOW TO ACQUIRE GOOD SAMSKARASFrom the book "Mind Its Mysteries & Control by Swami Sivananda " in Chapter -14 Samskaras

Try to acquire some good spiritual Samskaras in this birth at least, if you are not able todevote all your time in spiritual pursuit. Do some kind of meditation for a short time at least daily,say for half an hour in the morning and evening. Have a meditation room. Make some kind of Japaof any Mantra. Study the Gita regularly. Have Satsanga. Visit Rishikesh, Nasik, Varanasi,Haridwar, Prayag once a year for a week?s stay. Have the Darshana of Mahatmas. By doing so, youwill acquire some spiritual Samskaras which will be a valuable spiritual asset for a new, good life.You will have a very good birth. You will be placed in suitable environments in the next birth forunfolding the Divinity that is lurking in your heart, for practice of Yoga. All opportunities andfacilities will be given to you by God, through His grace (Isvara-Kripa) for your spiritual Sadhana.Even by a little systematic spiritual practice (Yogabhyasa and Vedantic Sadhana), you can changeyour mentality, your old vicious Samskaras. You can cut short several future births. By practice forthree years, you can free yourself from the clutches of births and deaths. You are bound to become aSannyasin. Why not now in this very birth? Why don?t you cut short the cycle of unnecessary birthsand consequent miseries? How long do you want to be a slave of the world, a slave of passions andIndriyas? Wake up now. Do Sadhana and get immortality.Udharet-Atmana-AtmanamRouse the self by the Self.New, healthy Samskaras can be implanted by new, healthy suggestions. Suppose your brainis a plank in which are driven nails which represent the ideas, habits and instincts which determineyour actions. If you find that there exists in you a bad idea, a bad habit, a bad instinct,?a bad nail, asit were, in the plank of your mind?you should take another, viz., a good idea, habit or instinct,place it on the top of the bad one and give a hard tap with a hammer. In other words, you shouldmake a healthy, useful suggestion. The new nail will be driven in perhaps a fraction of an inch whilethe old one will come out to the same extent. At each fresh blow with the hammer, that is to say, ateach fresh suggestion, the one will be driven in a little further and the other will be driven out justthat much until, after a certain number of blows, the old habits will be completely replaced by thenew habits, new ideas. It demands, doubtless, strenuous efforts. It needs constant repetition of thenew, healthy suggestions. Habit is second nature. But, pure, irresistible, determined will is bound tosucceed eventually.When you repeat OM or the Mahavakya of the Upanishads Aham Brahma Asmi once,one Samskara of the idea that I am Brahman or the Absolute? is formed in the subconscious mind.

The object in doing Japa or silent repetition of OM 21,600 times daily is to strengthen this Samskara

"You sow an action and reap a habit; a habit sown results in character. You sow a character and reap a destiny. Man is the master of his destiny. You yourself make your destiny. You can undo it if you like. All faculties, energies and powers are latent in you. Unfold them and become free. There is a certain definite connection between what is being now done by you and what will happen to you in the future. Sow always the seeds which will bring pleasant fruits and which will make you happy herein and hereafter." ~Swami Sivananda

All Mantras have equal potency or Power. It is quite incorrect if you say one Mantra is superior to another. You can attain God-realisation by doing Japa of any Mantra. Valmiki attained God-consciousness by repeating even Mara-Mara. Some people think that OM or Soham is superior to Om Namassivaya or Om Namo Narayanaya. This is also wrong. The state gained by doing Japa of OM or Soham can be attained by doing Japa of Sri Rama or Radheyshyam also.

The Bhagavadgita is, in one sense, the most important scripture because it touches all sides of life from the lowest to the highest. It touches the inner as well as the outer. It touches the social, the individual and the spiritual aspects at one and the same time. It is the only scripture which can satisfy every doubt in the world. In that sense, the Bhagavadgita in that sense is not a Hindu scripture but a world scripture. It does not speak of Hinduism, but of yoga proper, and we hear that yoga is not a religion but a science of life. Though it the Gita is written in Sanskrit and, therefore, it may be called an Indian scripture, it is really a universal scripture. The purpose of the gospel of the Bhagavadgita is to bring about a reconciliation between the visible and the invisible, man and God. Life is a conflict, and the purpose of the Gita is to solve this conflict. There are eighteen chapters of the Bhagavadgita, and each chapter is a resolution of a different type of conflict.

Collective sadhana such as common meditation, common prayer, common San Kirtan, Pra bahati Pheri, Likit Japa, and Akhanda Kirtan in groups, Gita or Ramayan Patek are more potent and effective than individual Sadhana.When people join together and practice common meditation or San Kirtan, you get the combined or massive effect produced by the simultaneous efforts of all those who take part in the common spiritual Sadhana. A large amount of spiritual force flows in.- Therefore do collective Sadhana. - Swami Sivananda

Charity of things is of less consequence than possession of charitable feelings, and resorting to charitable speech, charitable demeanour, and charitable actions through a general charitable temperament. This is, in short, what is called self-sacrifice, for it involves parting with some part of the delights of the ego.- Swami Krishnananda

The effect of one?s reading and learning can be seen in one?s behaviour. If the behaviour has not changed, it means the learning acquired is like water poured over a rock, which gets wet only on the surface without allowing the water to seep into it.- Swami Krishnananda

If you study one chapter of the Gita and do two malas of Japa daily, if you observe two fasts in a month and spend the time in prayer, within a single year you can cover a long distance oil the path of Yoga. The spiritual impressions will be present in the subconscious mind. They are indestructible and will coalesce and form a spiritual bridge over which you can cross to the other shore of immortality.Keep company with evolved souls who tread the path of Truth. Always mark carefully what is going on in the inner mental factory.

"Do not be anxious, constantly thinking of your spiritual progress. There will be ups and downs. It is not a straight path. Be courageous. (...) Always pray to God. Prostrate. Surrender to Him. With surrender, straightforward and honest practice you will reach the goal." - Swami Vishnudevananda

"The yoga teacher knows that much of his/her teachings is but the planting of seeds and that, for every idea the student understands, there will be a hundred that will come into his/her conscious recognition only after his/her mind is ready to understand and accept it....A student is advised to follow the teachings until he/she is able to experience truth within himself/herself." - Swami Vishnudevananda

Spiritual sadhana is ultimately an effort to cease from all effort. This is the highest effort, because no one normally can be without exerting oneself in some direction. All activity is a process of moving away from the Centre. The activity to cease from such activity is sadhana.- Swami Krishnananda

Conserve every bit of energy within. Do not waste your time and energy by entering into hot discussions, intellectual gymnastics and lingual warfare. Give up all arguments and discussions entirely. You will progress on the spiritual path. If you meditate for half an hour you will be able to face the daily battle of life with peace and spiritual strength for one week through the force of meditation. Such is the beneficial effect of meditation. As you have to move with many different minds of peculiar nature, get the requisite strength and peace from meditation and be free from worry and trouble~Swami Sivananda

"Apply your whole heart even in doing little things such as arranging of your papers, cleaning your room, the sorting of your clothes, etc... Be exact in doing even your little duties. You will derive much joy and happiness.... You are not born to solve the problems of the universe. You are born to find out what you have to do. This span of life is given to you for lofty duties, not for selfishness, not to be spent worthlessly in idle gossiping, eating, drinking and sleeping, but to improve yourself, to cultivate virtues, serve humanity selflessly and to attain God-realisation."-Swami Sivananda

"True Brotherhood and Peace can only exist where there are strong and self-controlled leaders to set an example for the masses. It is of vital importance that leaders have inner vision and inner peace. Not until men have this inner peace can they hope to establish global peace."- Swami Vishnudevananda

The test of spiritual advancement is a gradual attainment of freedom from doubts of all kinds and a conviction of having reached a settled understanding in regard to one?s true aim of life. It is this conviction that brings inner strength and power to face all opposition.- Swami Krishnananda

?Introspect. Look within. Try to remove your defects. This is the real Sadhana. This is the most difficult Sadhana. You will have to do it at any cost. Intellectual development is nothing. It is more easy." - Swami Sivananda

?When you sit for meditation, vivid thoughts of past experiences may appear. You may remember events that have been buried in your subconscious for many years. Memories of conversations or lost loved ones will agitate the mind and make the practice of meditation difficult. The imagination can play havoc with the past, creating imbalance and disharmony in the mind. As you get older there is a tendency for the mind to dwell more frequently in the events of long ago, preventing you from living life fully in the present. Dreams of childhood, schooldays, and youth are just dreams and should be laid gently and permanently to rest. Try to let go of all thoughts of past, both distant and recent, and live fully in the present.? - Swami Vishnudevananda

?Many students ask, ?What is meditation?? and ?what is concentration??. Someone even asked, ?Is there any secret technique by which I can get success fast?? There is no secret or mysterious technique. The techniques are the same that you are using in your daily life. When you cook, if you don?t concentrate, what will happen? You burn your food. When you climb a mountain and there is a steep, rocky area, you concentrate ? otherwise you break your leg or even your neck. When you drive, you concentrate. At some stage most of the concentration becomes a mechanical process. Say, for instance, you are driving a car. In the early stages, of course, when you drive a car you learn everything intellectually. You must know where the brakes are, where the clutch is, where the gears are, and so on and so on, and then once you learn it you pass it on to your subconscious mind to carry on the same activities.Most of the activities in your daily life you learn through concentration passing them on to the subconscious mind. So also in relaxation. You learn relaxation consciously. Once you learn the art of relaxation consciously it becomes a habit for you to relax, even while driving. But concentration and meditation are a little bit more than merely learning a technique and then passing it on to the subconscious mind. Here you are not only learning to focus your mind on the task you have undertaken, but you are also trying to channel this force to lift you up to the higher planes. Here is some water. Not it is harmless. I can drink it. It hasn?t got much power. If I make this into steam, boil it and make it into steam, and that same steam is passed through a small channel, a tube, it can make a small steam engine move. So the same water, which is now almost powerless, when it is properly concentrated, is capable of carrying an engine, a steam engine. In the same way, when a river, which is slow and sluggish, is dammed and the water is collected and slowly passed through a narrow channel, it can turn a huge turbine to create electricity. In every walk of life, when a substance is sluggish and widely spread on a wide area, it is not capable of producing enough strength and energy. But when you channel and focus this energy through a narrow passage, when it is concentrated, then it is powerful.? - Swami Vishnudevananda

Today i.e Fri 31 July 2015 happens to be Guru Purnima ,sharing the quote from Swami Krishnananda on "Guru"

The Guru is not a person, he is not a man or woman; he is a principle which represents a power behind and beyond the visible framework which you call the body of the Guru. And, therefore, to look upon the Guru as a person and then to judge him as you judge anybody else in the world, and to take his word or not to take it from your own point of view, would be to cut the ground from under your own feet.- Swami Krishnananda

The controversy between free will and fatalism is still going on in the West and no one has come to any definite conclusion. It is a great pity that the doctrine of Karma is mistaken for fatalism. Fatalism is the doctrine that all events are subject to fate and happen by unavoidable necessity.

Fate is one's own creation. Man acts and thinks and develops his own character. He creates a web like the spider or a silk-worm and entangles himself in its meshes on account of the three knots, viz., Avidya, Kama and Karma. He himself has enthroned fate to the level of a king and obeys its order owing to his ignorance and its effects.

Meditation is the most powerful mental and nervine tonic. The holy vibrations penetrate all the cells of the body and cure the various diseases that human flesh is heir to. Those who regularly meditate save the doctor?s bills. The powerful soothing waves that arise during meditation exercise a benign influence on the mind, nerves, organs and cells of the body. The divine energy freely flows like the flow of oil from one vessel to another, from the Feet of the Lord to the different systems of the practitioner~Swami Sivananda

Every breath that flows in the nose, Every beat that throbs in the heart, Every artery that pulsates in the body, Every thought that arises in the mind, Speaks to you that God is near.

Every flower that wafts fragrance, Every fruit that attracts you, Every gentle breeze that blows, Every river that smoothly flows, Speaks of God and His mercy.

The vast ocean with its powerful waves, The Mighty Himalayas with its glaciers, The bright Sun and stars in the wide sky, The lofty tree with its branches, The cool springs in the hills and dales, Tell me of His omnipotence.

The melody of sweet music, The oration of powerful orators, The poems of reputed poets, The inventions of able scientists, The operations of dexterous surgeons, The utterances of holy saints, The thoughts of the Bhagavad Gita, The revelations of the Upanishads, Speak of God and His wisdom.

Deepavali Greetings to All - "Many Deepavali festivals have come and gone. Yet the hearts of the vast majority are as dark as the night of the new moon. The house is lit with lamps, but the heart is full of the darkness of ignorance. O man! wake up from the slumber of ignorance. Realise the constant and eternal light of the Soul which neither rises nor sets, through meditation and deep enquiry."- SIVANANDA

Today i.e 16 Jan 2016 is Thiruvvaluvar's Day - the birthday of Saint Thiruvalluvar who composed the greatest Book called "Thirukural" 2000 years back and that book is still relevant even now . Thirukural is also called as Tami? Ma?ai (Tamil Veda); Poyyamozhii (words that never fail); and Daiva nool (divine text).Bhagavad Gita is the divine book given by God to Man , Thevaram , Thiruvachagam , Divya Prabandam ( Tamil Divine Texts ) are the books given by Man to God while Thirukural is the Divine Text given by Man to Man .Thiruvalluvar showed people that a person could lead the life of a Grihastha or householder, and at the same time, lead a divine life or a life of purity and sanctity. For more about Saint Thiruvalluvar kindly go through this article by Swami Sivananda :

Great men are not those who run fast and speak much but think deep and live wisely. More than doing it is being something - a change of outlook and attitude. We are great, not because we are something to the world but because we are something in ourselves, even if the whole world is not to exist at all.- Swami Krishnananda

Grant us an understanding heart, Equal vision, balanced mind, Faith, devotion and wisdom. Grant us inner spiritual strengthTo resist temptation and to control the mind.Free us from egoism, lust, greed, hatred, anger and jealousy. Fill our hearts with divine virtues.

Let us behold Thee in all these names and forms. Let us serve Thee in all these names and forms. Let us ever remember Thee. Let us ever sing Thy glories. Let Thy Name be ever on our lips. Let us abide in Thee for ever and ever.

Write down daily in a notebook your Ishta Mantra or Guru Mantra for half an hour. When you write the Mantra, observe Mouna. Write the Mantra clearly in ink. On Sundays and holidays, write this for one hour. This is Likhita Japa You can develop a wonderful power of concentration.

The benefits of Mantra-writing or Likhita Japa cannot be adequately described. Besides bringing about purity of heart and concentration of mind, mantra-writing gives you control of Asana, control of Indriyas, particularly the sight and the tongue, and fills you with the power of endurance. You attain peace of mind quickly. By prolonged and constant practice the inherent power of the Mantra (Mantra-Sakti) will be awakened, which will fill your very existence with the Divinity of the Mantra.

In Mantra writing, there is no restriction about any particular script. It may be written in any language.

Thanks Nagaraj for sharing the Likita Japa advice of Swami Sivananda . Just now returned from Rishikesh after a spiritually refreshing trip for 10 days . Went to Sivananda Ashram on Tamil New Year and Sri Ram Navami and participated in the Sri Ram Navami function there and got for my mother a book called "Japa Yoga ( in Tamil ) by Swami Sivananda " which was autographed by the Current head of Sivananda Ashram Swami Vimalananda and this Likita Japa message is there in that book in Tamil after reading your post I was reminded of this wonderful coincidence .

Nice to know you had been to Hrishikesh and was blessed to stay in the sacred lap of Mother Ganga and moreso, in such an auspicious time of new year and Rama Navami.

Last year i also got to spend about 8 9 days at Hrishikesh and visited Swami Sivananda Ashram few times. Absolutely what a divine place it is.

Before my visit, j had only read in books and heard hearsay about the sanctity of Mothet Ganga. But experienced it for real only when I was there.

We also visited Vasishta Guha, a must visit place, it is a cave where Vasishta is said to yo have spent some time in deep meditation and we could visit few other places.

Nice to know you got japa yoga book blessed by Swami Vimalananda and the conincidence here.

Likhita japa is perhaps the least mentioned or least popular among various other methods in terms of its efficacy to engage the mind in Sat-Karyam or Sat-Sangam (to be in the company of Sat). But it is, in my experience, a great superior sadhana to engage the mind body and soul in tune with the 'Sat' itself. Many should be encouraged to take this up as it is is relatively easier and has no special rules and easily purifies oneself.

Talking about Ramayana. I felt, the 24000+ shlokas composed by Sage Valmiki has only one meaning, it is 'Raama' what a beautiful two letters are they. They also are thw first 2 letters of Ramana and Ramakrishna. Ra extracted from ashtakshati on namo naratanaya and Ma extracted from panchakshari Om nanah Shivaya.

Both ashtakshari and panchakshari are rendered meaningless without these two letters Ra Ma. Infact their meaning are rendered as amangalam. Na-ayanam and Na-Shiva. These two letters Ra Ma is so great. they are said to be the heart of panchakshari and ashtaksgari. Raama itself is Brahma Vidya. Raama itself is the Supreme Self and what cannot be gained by doing Likhita Japa of such great mantra.

We keep flowers atop the pictures of Gods and Goddesses and Guru in our Puja Altar. Sometimes when the Lord is very pleased with our devotion He raises his hand above and pushes the flower as a token of acknowledgement of him being pleased and showers blessings in the form of flower Prasad.

first was Sri Atmavichar's post on Likhita Japa blesed by Swami Vimalananda. Now Sri Ravi has shared a beautiful trasure, a snapshot of Annamalai Swami's letter advising the Likhita Japa. Again the Lord raisinv his hand above and pushed another flower :-) blessing us yet again.

Please find the picture as ATTACHMENT (i shall try and paste the picture directly at leisure) and find below a rough translation of the same in English.

(http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b3d3/bc7tg5847jmj9j1zg.jpg)

"I am not the body. I am not the thoughts" write this a lakh times. The thought that 'I am the body' is what impedes our peace and happiness. We are not our clusters of thoughts either. Our true form is boundless bliss. If you know the truth of your being you can come to no harm. Om shanti shanti shanti

Thanks for sharing the note of Sri Annamalai Swami regarding likita Japa of "I AM NOT THE BODY , I AM NOT THE MIND/THOUGHTS" . In Sri Nisargadatta tradition also a similar mantra is given as initiation for those who need and the devotees are asked to do japa of the same for many years so that subtle teachings of ATMA JNANA slowly sinks in . Also in Sandhyavandanam we repeat the mantra "ASAVADITYO BRAHMAN , BRAHMAIVAHAM ASMI " which also reflects the same only that in our hurry to complete the sandhya vandanam it becomes a mechanical act and we loose the significance of the same .BTW Sri Annamalais Swami before coming to Bhagavan met Kanchi Mhaswamigal who asked him to chant /write the Mantra SIVAYA NAMAH and Annamalai Swami wrote it a lakh times and that sadhana helped him to come to Bhagavan and he ended up staying in Thiruvanamalai . Mental Japa ,Likita Japa has its own power only that we need to do it sincerely with feeling and bhava and not rush in to complete a quota .

In this regard I wish to share an interesting incident with regarding to writing Sri Rama Nama by my mother and that incident happened during our recent visit to Rishikesh . Since you talked about Ramayana in your earlier post I was reminded of that incident and will share here later .

When you chant 'Hare Rama' or 'Gopala Gopala,' don't just join in with the crowd. These words can slowly, slowly transfer emotion into devotion. It is not just in a day or two, but gradually it will wean your mind away from these external objects... It is a slow process and the best method is kirtan. Other disciplines are there -- Jnana Yoga discipline, Raja Yoga discipline... But even if you are a Raja Yogi or a Jnana Yogi, kirtan is the most important thing to conquer your mind. Do not sing with your mouth; sing from your heart. Dissociate from everything and associate with the Supreme Being."-Swami VishnudevanandaNote : Swami Vishnu devananda is one of the senior most disciples of Swami Sivananda who found the SIVANANDA YOGA VEDATNTA CENTRES WORLD WIDE and author of the best sellers "A Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga " , "Meditation & MAntras " . I received all my practical training in Yoga through this Organization and so consider him as my Yoga Guru .

I saw in him something quite arresting which clearly distinguished him from all others I had seen. He seemed to live apart from the physical frame, quite detached from it. His look and smile had remarkable spiritual charm. When he spoke, the words seemed to come out of an abyss. One could see immaculate purity and non-attachment in him and his movements. I sensed something very refined, lofty and sacred about him. In his vicinity the mind?s distractions were overpowered by an austere and potent calmness and the unique bliss of peace was directly experienced. This I would call Ramana lahari, ?the blissful atmosphere of Ramana.? In this ecstasy of grace one loses one?s sense of separate individuality and there remains something grand and all-pervading, all-devouring. This indeed is the spirit of Arunachala which swallows up the whole universe by its gracious effulgence. There were about ten devotees living with him there, including his mother and younger brother.

One of them was Vallimalai Murugar, who for a while every morning sang the Tamil songs of the Tirupugazh with great fervour. These well-known songs, the remarkable outpourings of the famous devotee, Sri Arunagirinatha, are songs in praise of Subrahmanya. When he sang, Bhagavan used to keep time (tala) by tapping with two small sticks on the two rings of an iron brazier of live coal kept in front of him. Fumes of incense spread out in rolls from the brazier, suffused with the subtle holy atmosphere of Bhagavan. While Bhagavan?s hands were tapping at the brazier thus, his unfathomable look of grace gave one a glimpse of the Beyond in silence. It was an unforgettable experience.

There was also a devotee from Chidambaram, Subrahmanya Iyer, who often sang with great fervour Tiruvachagam, hymns in praise of Arunachala by Bhagavan, and songs in praise of Bhagavan also. One morning when he began a song with the refrain, ?Ramana Satguru, Ramana Satguru, Ramana Satguru Rayane,? Bhagavan also joined in the singing. The devotee got amused and began to laugh at Bhagavan himself singing his own praise. He expressed his amusement and Bhagavan replied, ?What is extraordinary about it? Why should one limit Ramana to a form of six feet? Is it not the all-pervading Divinity that you adore when you sing ?Ramana Satguru, Ramana Satguru?? Why should I not also join in the singing?? We all felt lifted to Bhagavan?s standpoint.

Our duties, as well as character and conduct, are determined by the nature of the meaning that we are able to see in life, or, rather, the aim of life which is the ultimate objective towards the achievement of which every activity is directed.- Swami Krishnananda

We can judge ourselves as to the spiritual progress we make by the extent to which we are free from seeing defects in others. The wider we grow, the narrower becomes the eye which sees defects in the world.- Swami Krishnananda

If there are cheerfulness, joy, peace on the face, know that the seeker is progressing in meditation. If there are gloom and depression on the face, know that the aspirant in under the influence of Tamas and inertia.- Swami Sivananda

When we come in conflict with things, we are likely to think that the things are against us. But this would be like imagining that a stone is against us because it is thrown at us by someone. The things and circumstances are only instruments in meting out our dues.- Swami Krishnananda

Today i.e Thu 14 July is the Maha Samadhi day of Swami Sivananda who was one of Modern India's greatest spiritual sage and coincidentally 14 July is also the day I started my Yoga journey in the late 90s and ever thankful to my Yoga Guru Swami Sivananda for putting me on this path and guiding me through his grace .On this day I want to share the experience of Former President of India Dr.Abdul Kalam when he met Swami Sivananda in Rishikesh in 1958 utterly dejected because he was not selected for the Airforce .How Swami Sivananda consoled him and gave him hope and told him to defeat his defeatist tendency is mentioned here by Dr.Kalam himself and this message is not just to Dr.Kalam but to all of us .

Today ( 27 July 2016 ) if the first death anniversary of Dr.Abdul Kalam ( former India President ) and I am sharing this piece ( meeting of Dr.Abdul Kalam with Swami Sivananda in 1958 at Rishikesh ) as a reminder to one of India's best and most Popular People's President and most improtant is the message of Swami Sivananda which is not just meant for Dr.Abdul Kalam but also to all of us which is "defeat the defeatist tendency " . I have shared this before but felt worth sharing again .

Sadhana is spiritual movement consciously systematized. Sadhana is the purpose for which we have come to this place.

Abhyasa and Sadhana are synonymous terms. The object of Sadhana is to release life from the limitations with which it is bound.

Sadhana is a lifelong process. Every day, every hour, every minute, is an onward march. Obstacles are innumerable in this great voyage. But, so long as you hold God as thy guide, there is nothing to worry about. You are sure to reach the other shore.

Some people have curiosity for the spiritual line. They have no real thirsting for liberation. They think that they will get certain powers or Siddhis (psychic powers) if they do some Yogic practices. When they do not attain the powers, they lose patience and give up the practices, abandon the spiritual path, and pooh-pooh the Yogis and Yoga.Mere curiosity will not help you to attain any spiritual progress. Curiosity-mongering is more abominable than mischief-mongering. Introspect. Analyze your thoughts and find out whether you have real spiritual hunger or mere curiosity-mongering. Transmute curiosity-mongering into real thirsting for salvation by constant Satsang (association with the wise), study of good religious books, prayer, Japa, and meditation.

You must have interest and liking in your Sadhana. You must understand well the technique and benefits of Sadhana. You must select a Sadhana that is suitable for you. You must have the ability and capacity to do Sadhana. Then alone you will have joy in do ing the Sadhana and full success in it.

ASPIRATION AND ACHIEVEMENT

Good intentions alone will not do. They must be backed up by good actions. You must enter the spiritual path with the best intention of attaining Atma-Jnana (Self-knowledge), but unless you are vigilant and diligent, unless you do intense and rigorous Sadhana, unless you guard yourself against lust, anger and egoism and selfishness, the good intentions alone will not enable you to achieve success.Moral purity and spiritual aspiration are the first steps in the seeker's path. Without a strong conviction in moral values, there can surely be no spiritual life, or even a good life.Stern self-discipline is absolutely essential. Self-discipline does not mean suppression, but taming the brute within. It means humanization of the animal and spiritualization of the human.

You will have to break the virgin soil before you sow the seed. The seed breaks itself before it sprouts out as a plant. Destruction precedes construction. This is the immutable law of nature. You will have to destroy your brutal nature first before you develop divine nature.

The spiritual path is rugged, thorny, and precipitous. The thorns must be weeded out with patience and perseverance. Some of the thorns are internal; some are external. Lust, greed, wrath, delusion, vanity, etc., are the internal thorns. Company with evil-minded persons is the worst of all the external thorns. Therefore, shun ruthlessly evil company.

During the period of Sadhana, do not mix much; do not talk much; do not walk much; do not eat much; do not sleep much. Observe carefully the five 'do-not's'. Mixing will cause disturbances in the mind. Talking much will cause distraction of the mind. Walking much causes exhaustion and weakness. Eating much induces laziness and sleepiness.

DANGERS OF MIXING WITH WOMEN (OR MEN) AND WORLDLINGS

During the period of Sadhana, avoid the company of women (or men in the case of women). You must never mix with young ladies (or men), however strong you may be. Maya works through under-currents so stealthily that you may not be aware of your actual downfall.

Keep the mind fully occupied with spiritual pursuits. Keep yourself at the farthest distance from everything that would stir up your passions. Then only you will be safe.Do not live with householders. Do not test your spiritual strength and purity when you are a beginner on the spiritual path. Do not rush into evil associations when you are a spiritual neophyte to show that you have the courage to face sin and impurity. It will be a serious mistake. You will be running into a grave danger. You will have a quick downfall. A small fire will be very easily extinguished by a heap of dust.

Mind has a great power of imitation. This is the reason why a spiritual aspirant is prohibited from mixing with householders. His mind will try to imitate the minds of worldlings. Downfall will ensue.

If an aspirant moves with rich people, Zamindars, and Rajas, his mind begins to imitate the luxurious habits of these people and, ere long, he gets an unconscious downfall. Certain bad habits creep in him unconsciously. And he finds it difficult to tear out or remove these bad habits.

An aspirant can live only for a short time in his native place if there is an urgent call. Yogic rules and laws cannot permit him to stay there for a sufficiently long period, however suitable the place may be and whatever may be the degree of Vairagya of the aspirant. The force of impressions is tremendous. Unless all the Samskaras are thoroughly burnt through Nirvikalpa- Samadhi, it is not safe for one to stay for a long time in one's own native place. He is still within the danger zone.

THE SPIRITUAL PATH

The spiritual path may, in the beginning, appear to be very hard, thorny, precipitous and slippery. Renunciation of objects gives pain at the outset. If you struggle hard to tread the path, if you once make a strong determination and firm resolve, then it becomes very easy. You get interest and new joy. Your heart expands. You have a broad outlook of life. You have a new, wide vision. You feel the help from the invisible hands of the Indweller of your heart. Your doubts are cleared by themselves by getting answers from within. You can hear the shrill, sweet voice of God. There is an indescribable thrill of divine ecstasy from within. There is deep, abiding, everlasting joy and unruffled peace. There is ineffable, unabating, undiminishing, undecaying spiritual bliss. This gives new strength. The footing in the path becomes firmer and firmer. The Jivanmuktas, Yogins, Nitya- siddhas, Amara -purushas, and Chiranjivis lend their helping hands to the struggling aspirants. The aspirants feel this actually. The feeling of loneliness and of being neglected and forsaken vanishes entirely.

You are backed up at all times by a mighty power that works everywhere in the cosmos. Therefore you have nothing to fear. Take care of the details in Sadhana. The major factor will take care of itself.

Some aspirants leave Sadhana after some time. They expect great fruits quickly. They expect many Siddhis within a short time. When they do not get some, they give up the Sadhana. There are several ranges of consciousness between the ordinary human consciousness and the supra-consciousness of Brahman. Different veils have to be torn down on the way; many lower centres have to be opened up; many hurdles have to be crossed before the final goal is reached.

SPIRITUAL PROGRESS IS LIKE A SPIRAL

You have to plod on and scale many hills. You cannot climb the Everest in one jump. There is no jumping on the spiritual path.

Self-realization is not like a six-year post-graduate course. It is the result of intense protracted Sadhana.

There is no short-cut in the spiritual path. There is no royal road to the kingdom of immortal bliss. There is no half-measure in the divine path. Strict, hard discipline is wanted. Then alone you can conquer Maya. Only then can you control the mind.

Saints and Yogins will never think that they have controlled the mind. Only the deluded Sadhaka will imagine he has controlled the mind and get a terrible downfall. It is the very nature of life, mind, and Prakriti to be constantly in motion. When there is the idea in the mind that the highest goal is yet to be achieved, you will always move towards it. If you imagine that you have got to the top, you will anyhow have to move, and that movement will be downward. You will have a downfall. Aspire for higher realization till the breath ceases in the nostril.

Spiritual progress is slow, as the spiritual Sadhana is difficult and laborious. It is like the spiral. In the beginning, great striving is needed. Gradually, the circle becomes smaller and smaller. So also, the striving becomes less and less. The aspirant gains spiritual strength slowly. He marches faster and faster. Finally, he does not go by furlongs after furlongs. He proceeds by mile after mile. He gallops and gallops. Therefore, be patient; be persevering; be steady.

SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

The gradual inward progress is mostly silent and unseen, like the quiet unfolding of a bud into a flower in the hours of the night. Therefore, do not be dejected. Do not depress yourself with the idea that you are not progressing. Real spiritual progress is really and accurately measured by the peacefulness, serenity, and calmness that you manifest in waking state. You will have a healthy body and mind, the excretions will be scanty, the voice will be sweet, the face will be brilliant, the eyes will be lustrous. You will be ever calm, tranquil, and poised; you will be ever cheerful, fearless, and contented. You will be dispassionate and discriminative. There will be no attraction for the world. Things that used to upset you before will not upset you now. You will have an unruffled mind. You will have introversion. Things that used to give you pleasure produce disgust or a reverse effect now. You will have a one-pointed, sharp, subtle mind. You will be longing to have more meditation. You will experience lights, visions, divine smell, divine taste. The idea that all forms are forms of the Lord will get stronger and stronger in you. You will feel everywhere the presence of God. You will experience the nearness of God. You will have a very steady Asana. You will develop a burning desire for selfless service.

Watch whether you are stationary in the spiritual path, retrogressing, or advancing. If your Japa, meditation or Vedantic Vichara thickens your veil and fattens your egoism, it is not then a spiritual Sadhana. Remember this point well. It is only a kind of occult practice. Watch, introspect. Practice self-analysis and kill ruthlessly this formidable egoism. This is important Sadhana. Egoism will lurk like a thief and assume various forms like a chameleon or a Bahurupi (a dramatic actor).

Do not stop the Sadhana when you get a few glimpses of realization. Continue practice till you are fully established in Bhuma, the unconditioned Brahman. This is important. If you stop practice and move about in the world, there is every likelihood of a downfall. The reaction will be tremendous. Examples are not lacking. Numerous persons have been so ruined. A glimpse cannot give you perfect safety. Do not be carried away by name and fame. You can renounce your wife, children, parents, house, friends, and relatives. It is very, very difficult to renounce the intellectual pleasure, the pleasure from name and fame. I seriously warn you. A man who can draw happiness from the Atman within, will never care a jot for this trivial, paltry affair. The world is a mighty big thing for a worldly man. It is a straw for the Knower of Brahman. It is a mustard, a pin's point, a dot, a bubble, an airy nothing for a Brahma-jnani (Knower of Brahman). Be circumspective. Ignore all these trivial things. Be steady with your practice. Never stop the practice till the final beatitude is reached. Never cease Sadhana till you can constantly dwell in full Brahmic consciousness.

Do not let failures discourage you, but go on doing your best. Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures, as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression. Do not repeat them in future. Be cautious. Just think of the causes which led to your failures and try to remove them in future. Strengthen yourself with new vigour and virtues. Develop slowly your will-power.

Every temptation that is resisted, every evil thought that is curbed, every desire that is subdued, every bitter word that is withheld, every noble aspiration that is encouraged, every sublime thought that is cultivated, adds to the development of will-force, good character, and attainment of eternal bliss and immortality.

Every bit of Sadhana done is surely recorded without fail in your hidden consciousness. No Sadhana ever goes in vain. Every bit of it is credited immediately towards your evolution. This is the law. Think not negative thoughts, but calmly go on with the Sadhana. Be regular at it. Without missing a single day, proceed onward with your spiritual practices. Little by little, the power accumulates and it will grow. Ultimately, the cumulative force of all the continuous earnest Sadhana done perseveringly and patiently over a long period of life has its inevitable grand consummation at the supreme moment when it bears fruit in the form of blissful Realization.

Let the Sadhana be regular, continuous, unbroken, and earnest. Not only regularity, but also continuity in Sadhana and meditation is necessary if you want to attain Self-realization quickly. A spiritual stream once set going does not dry up, unless the channel-bed is locked, unless there is stagnation. Be vigilant eternally. Meditate regularly. Annihilate the under-current of Vasanas.

OBSTACLES TO SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

Sometimes the aspirant gets stuck up. He cannot proceed further in his path. Sometimes he is side-tracked through Siddhis. He loses his way and walks in some other direction. He misses the goal. Sometimes he is assailed by temptations and various oppositions. Sometimes he gets false contentment. He thinks he has reached his goal and stops all Sadhana. Sometimes he is careless, lazy, indolent. He cannot do any Sadhana. Therefore, be eternally vigilant, like the captain of a ship, like the surgeon in the operation theatre.

The spiritual path is full of hurdles. If you conquer one obstacle, another obstacle is ready to manifest. If you control the sense of taste, another Indriya is simply waiting to assault you with redoubled force and vigour. If you remove greed, anger is waiting to hurl you down. If you drive egoism through one door, it enters through another door. Great patience, perseverance, vigilance, and undaunted strength are needed.

Be frim, steady, and steadfast. People will mock at you; be silent. People will insult you; be silent. People will spread evil rumours about you; be silent. Stick to the spiritual path. Do not swerve. Seek the truth wherever it may lead you to, and whatever be the cost and sacrifice.

START SADHANA NOW

Act now. Live now. Know now. Realize now. Be happy now.Every death is a reminder. Every bell that rings says, "The end is near". Every day robs off from you one part of your precious life. Therefore, you should be very earnest in plunging yourself in constant Sadhana.

Never fall a victim to fruitless regret. Today is the best day. Today is the day of your new birth. Start Sadhana now. With folded palms, bid good-bye to past mistakes and faults. You have learnt your lessons. March forward now with new hope, determination, and vigilance.

Waver not. Fear not. Doubt not. Do something substantial in the path of Sadhana instead of wasting your time in idle pursuits and lethargy. You have infinite strength within you. There is a vast reservoir of power within you. Therefore, do not lose heart. Obstacles are stepping stones to success. They will develop your will. Do not allow yourself to be crushed by them. Defects remind you of perfection. Sin reminds you of virtue. Chose the positive path.

If you think, "I will take a bath when all the waves of the sea subside", this is not possible. The waves will never subside and you will never take a bath. Even so, if you think, "I will start spiritual Sadhana or meditation when all my cares, worries and anxieties cease, when all my sons are fixed up in life, when I have ample leisure after retirement", this is not possible. You will not be able to sit even for half an hour when you become old. You will have no strength to do any rigorous Tapas when you are in advanced senility.

You must start vigorous spiritual practices when you are young, whatever your conditions, circumstances and environments may be. Then only you will reap a rich spiritual harvest when you become old. You will enjoy the everlasting peace of the Eternal.

Repeat this formula very often and with intense faith: "The Lord is my strength, my support and my stay." Thus you will derive strength, power and peace.

God knows what is best for you and He does what is best for you. His ways are mysterious - know His ways and become wise.

Slay egoism and desire, they are the enemies, the obstacles of self-surrender. You may accuse God and say: "He is not just; He is cruel. Vicious persons are thriving I am virtuous and yet I suffer. There is no God." Later on you will realise that He has done the best thing for you.

Do not pray to the Lord for the removal of sufferings. Pray to Him to grant you power of endurance and patience to bear all calamities.

A devotee remains unaffected by adversities, trials and tribulations. He knows and feels that they are all karmic purgations and are the real messengers of God. He welcomes them calmly.

A devotee alone gets troubles and adversities; because this is his last birth, many karmas have to be worked out and he must be united with the Lord in this very birth.

God gives immense strength and patience to His devotee to bear troubles and calamities. The devotee is ever calm and cheerful - he is not affected by them as his mind ever dwells in the contemplation of the Lord. He is not body-conscious.Murmur not. Grumble not. Even a leaf cannot fall without the will of God. What is destined to take place as willed by God, takes place. Face the difficulties, the battle of life with a smile. Become a brave soldier. Difficulties come to intensify your faith, to strengthen your will and power of endurance and to turn your mind more and more towards God.

Pain is the great eye-opener. It is your silent teacher. It will make you remember God. Kunti prayed: "O Lord Krishna, give me pain always so that I may ever remember you." The more troubles and adversities you get, the stronger and firmer will be your faith in God. They will mould you into a divine being. Welcome them.

Seek God's grace through self-surrender and He will show you the way. Transient are all mundane things! Evanescent are all earthly forms! Seek the immortal and attain bliss eternal.

1. Get up at 4. a.m. daily. This is Brahmamuhurta which is extremely favourable for meditation on God.

2. Asana: Sit on Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana for Japa and meditation for half an hour, facing the east or the north. Increase the period gradually to three hours. Do Sirshasana and Sarvangasana for keeping up Brahmacharya and health. Take light physical exercises as walking, etc., regularly. Do twenty Pranayamas.

4. Dietetic Discipline: Take Sattvic food, Suddha Ahara. Give up chillies, tamarind, garlic, onion, sour articles, oil, mustard, asafoetida. Observe moderation in diet (Mitahara). Do not overload the stomach. Give up those things which the mind likes best for a fortnight in a year. Eat simple food. Milk and fruits help concentration. Take food as medicine to keep the life going. Eating for enjoyment is sin. Give up salt and sugar for a month. You must be able to live on rice, Dhal and bread without any chutni. Do not ask for extra salt for Dhal and sugar for tea, coffee or milk.

5. Have a separate meditation room under lock and key.

6. Charity: Do charity regularly, every month, or even daily according to your means, say six paisa per rupee.

7. Svadhyaya: Study systematically the Gita, the Ramayana, the Bhagavata, Vishnu-Sahasranama, Lalita-Sahasranama, Aditya Hridaya, Upanishads or Yoga Vasishtha, the Bible, Zend Avesta, the Koran, the Tripitakas, the Granth Sahib, etc., from half an hour to one hour daily and have Suddha Vichara.

8. Brahmacharya: Preserve the vital force (Veerya) very, very carefully. Veerya is God in motion or manifestation?Vibhuti. Veerya is all power. Veerya is all money. Veerya is the essence of life, thought and intelligence.

9. Prayer Slokas: Get by heart some prayer-Slokas, Stotras and repeat them as soon as you sit in the Asana before starting Japa or meditation. This will elevate the mind quickly.

10. Satsanga: Have Satsanga. Give up bad company, smoking, meat and alcoholic liquors entirely. Do not develop any evil habits.

17. Do not depend upon servants: Do not depend upon servants. Self-reliance is the highest of all virtues.

18. Self-analysis: Think of the mistakes you have committed during the course of the day, just before retiring to bed (self-analysis). Keep daily diary and self-correction register. Do not brood over past mistakes.

19. Fulfil duties: Remember that death is awaiting you at every moment. Never fail to fulfil your duties. Have pure conduct (Sadachara).

20. Surrender to God: Think of God as soon as you wake up and just before you go to sleep. Surrender yourself completely to God (Saranagati).

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O loving Lord of Compassion! Hey Prabhu! The Soul of my soul, the Life of my life, the Mind of my mind, the Ear of my ears, Light of lights, Sun of suns! Give light and purity. Let me get established in physical and mental Brahmacharya. Let me be pure in thoughts, word and deed. Give me strength to control my Indriyas (senses) and observe the Brahmacharya Vrata. Protect me from all sorts of temptations of this world. Let all my Indriyas be ever engaged in Thy sweet service.

The 8th of September is the Birthday of Swami Sivananda and sharing below is the chanting of the Mantra "Om Namo Bhagavate Sivananandaya " by one of his Chief Disciple Swami Chidananda . Ever grateful to Master Sivananda for all the blessings in my life .Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95jItrRStvc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95jItrRStvc)

Trials, difficulties, troubles and sufferings are necessary for your purification and to strengthen your will and power of endurance. Face them bravely and come out triumphantly. Press on. Strive on with all your will; only then is the grace of God bestowed. God helps those who help themselves. If bad thoughts enter your mind, simply ignore them. Offer a prayer to the Lord and substitute divine thoughts by studying the sacred books. The spiritual fire should be generated day after day. Hold fast to the ideal. Keep the flame of aspiration ever bright. Scorn mundane delights and strife. Dedicate your life to God. Meditate. Scale the spirit's steepest height and reach the peak of eternal wisdom and bliss divine. Nothing is able to daunt the firm and resolute aspirant or turn him from a course which he considers to be right, or which he holds to be his duty. Be brave and courageous. You must pass with one breath over the mountain of difficulties. The atman cannot be attained by a life of weakness and error.

You have infinite strength within you. Be strong. Look within. Meditate. Tap the source. Have an indomitable will, backed by an abiding faith. You are bound to succeed in everything. God is the light of lights. He is knowledge. He is the knower. God is the same from age to age. God never changes; he is ageless. God has no opposite. God is truth, beauty, goodness. God has no religion; He is the source of all religion. God is one. God is peace. God is universal harmony. God is love and law. As a lamp cannot burn without oil, so man cannot live without God. Creation reveals that God is dharma (righteousness). God is the bestower of grace which is boundless and inexhaustible.

Gayatri Japaby Swami Sivananda ? In The divine Life Society"Let us meditate on Isvara and His Glory who has created the Universe, who is fit to be worshipped, who is the remover of all sins and ignorance. May he enlighten our intellect. "The aspirant prays to Mother Gayatri, "O Beloved Mother! At the present moment I have taken my body as the self owing to Avidya or ignorance, through my impure intellect. Give me a pure intellect which will enable me to know my real nature. Give me light and knowledge. "This is the Brahma-Gayatri Mantra. Gayatri is the 'Blessed Mother' of Vedas. There is no milk superior to cow's milk. Even so there is no Mantra superior to Gayatri. As Omkara or Pranava is for Sannyasins, so is Gayatri for Brahmacharis and householders. The fruits that are attained by meditation on Omkara can be attained by meditation on Gayatri. The same goal that is reached by a Paramahamsa Sannyasin can be reached by a Brahmachari or a householder by meditating on Gayatri.Get up at 4 a. m. in Brahmamuhurta and start Japa and meditation on Gayatri (Panchmukhi or five-faced Devi seated in lotus flower), sitting on Padmasana, Siddhasana or Virasana, facing North or East.Burn incense in the room. In summer you can take a bath. In winter you can simply wash your face, hands and feet and do achamana only. Continue the Japa for two hours or more.Have another sitting at night between 7 and 8 p. m. Constantly feel that you are receiving light, purity and wisdom from Gayatri. This is important. Keep the image of the Gayatri at the Trikuti, the space between the eye-brows by closing the eyes and concentrate there, or keep the image in the lotus of the heart and concentrate there.You will have Darshan of Gayatri.It is better if you do Japa of Gayatri 3000 to 4000 times daily. Your heart will be purified rapidly. If you are not able to do this number, you can do 1008 times daily. If you find it difficult to do this number also, do at least 108 times daily, 36 times at sunrise, 36 times at noon, 36 times at sunset.There is special, mysterious spiritual force or wonderful magnetic power at Sandhi or junction of the time, sunrise and sunset. The mind will be elevated quickly. It will be filled with Sattva.Concentration will come by itself without any effort at this time. If you find it difficult to get up at Brahmamuhurta, get up before sunrise & Performa the Gayatri Mantra . =================================================================

Plunge into Sadhana. Start it from today. Regular meditation alone will give you the actual realization of the Atman. Get up in the early morning and meditate. Withdraw the mind and the senses from the world. Direct the gaze within. Do Japa. Pray. There is a great spiritual power in the Lord's name. Have faith. Practise. You will yourself realize this. Be regular in your Japa. Meditation will come by itself. The Lord will lead you along the royal road to His lotus-feet. Cling to the divine name. It is the supreme saviour in this Kali Yuga (present age)~Swami Sivananda

"Life is short. Time is fleeting. The world is full of miseries. Cut the knot of Avidya and drink the Nirvanic bliss. That day on which you do not perform Japa is simply wasted. Those who simply eat, drink and sleep and do not perform Japa are horizontal beings only."

Japa is a very effective mental discipline for spiritual progress. In recent history there is the instance of the esteemed teacher of Sivaji, Samartha R?mad?s, who perfected himself through the japa yoga of the Sri Rama-mantra: ?Sri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama.? Bhagavan Yogesvara Krsna Himself says in the Git?: ?I am, among the yogas, the japa yoga.??How must I start?? To do japa is the way to perform the japa yoga. What happened to that holiday maker who waited on the sea-shore for the waves to subside so that he may take his bath comfortably? Don?t waste your time in vain on the shores of life; get into the ocean of this bliss and be refreshed.Have a special room for your prayers; fix a charming picture of your heart?s Lord, at such a height from the floor that when you sit in front of it, the Lord?s feet shall be in level with your eyes. Spread a plain seat (?sana) in front of your ista, the Lord of your heart. Have a mala (rosary) of 108 beads. Now start the japa, behind closed doors please, to begin with. Sitting on the ?sana in any comfortable, legs-folded pose, in the beginning, gaze at the Lord?s beaming face, body, legs, feet. Now slowly raise the gaze up from feet, legs and body, to the face of the Lord. Close the eyes now; feel His presence within you and try to visualize the Lord exactly as in the picture. This visualization of the Lord should be done within you in your love-heart, which is exactly on the right side of the physical heart. This is the spiritual heart-centre where, if you meditate, your success is doubly assured. Feel feel His presence.Now repeat your ista-mantra a few times, slowly, steadily with all the love you are capable of. This invokes the devotion (bhakti) in you to do japa most effectively. Take the mala,? search for the off-bead: this is called the Meru. Bring the tips of your ring-finger and thumb together, and let the mala be hung at this junction, repeat fervently your ista-mantra; at each repetition turn one bead with the middle-finger, always allowing the index finger to stand apart.The index finger is considered to be an ?outcast? because of its language. This finger is generally used in pointing out the ?other?, in accusing ?another?, in threatening etc. Essentially the index finger is used to express duality and the other-ness of things and beings!

When you have thus repeated 108 times your chosen mantra, naturally, you will come back to the meru-bead: you have now done one mala. Now be careful: don?t cross the meru turn the mala in such a way that the 109th mantra is counted on the bead with which the 107th mantra was registered. Thereafter proceed in all sincerity and finish with your second mala of japa. Thus do 20 malas of japa twice a day? once in the morning and once in the evening.

The effect of one?s reading and learning can be seen in one?s behaviour. If the behaviour has not changed, it means the learning acquired is like water poured over a rock, which gets wet only on the surface without allowing the water to seep into it.

?Don?t drop directly into bed without lifting your vibration level ( through Meditation , Prayer etc ) . When you get up, you will see that you have been fully recharged. Otherwise, your body is under tension and, like a tap dripping water, it will drip prana ( subtle energy ) unnecessarily so that when you wake up, you won?t even have the energy to get up.? - Swami Vishnudevananda

The service of the Guru is not an old-fashioned system, and it is indeed the system that will prevail and work even today, and it has to work for all time; because the Guru is not to be regarded as a person, though for all outward vision the Guru may look like any person.- Swami Krishnananda

Today ( Sat 28 Oct 2017 ) is Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj's 16th Punyatithi Aradhana. Here is what Swami Sivananda said about him He is a master of practically every system of Indian thought and Western philosophy. ?Many Sankaras are rolled into one Krishnananda,? ? ?I Marvel at Krishnanandaji?.

HEALING BY PRAYER:The best medicine for all diseases is Kirtan, Japa and regular Meditation. The Divine waves regenerate and energies the cells, tissues, nerves etc. Another very cheap but really potent medicine is cheerfulness, smile, laugh and be cheerful. All diseases will take to their heels. Even when the medical board pronounced a case to be absolutely hopeless, prayers comes to the rescue and the patient is surprisingly cured. Healing by prayer is miraculous and mysterious.Lord Dhanwantari who expounded the Ayurvedic Medical Science has himself declared "By the medicine of the repetition of Achyuta, Govinda" all diseases are cured. This is my definite and honest declaration.- Sri Swami Sivananda

When allopathy, homeopathy, chromopathy, naturopathy, ayurvedapathyand all other 'pathies' fail to cure a disease, the divine namapathyalone can save you. The name of the Lord is a sovereign specific, asheet-anchor, an infallible panacea and a cure-all for all diseases.It is an ideal or supreme 'pick-me-up' in gloom and despair, indepression and sorrow, in the daily battle of life or the strugglefor existence, There is a mysterious power in the name. There is aninscrutable sakti (power) in God's name! All the divine potencies arehidden in the Lord's name. It is the cream or the quintessence ofChyavana-Prasha, Makaradhwaji almonds, Vasanta-Kusumakara or Svarna-Bhasma or gold oxide. It is a mysterious, ineffable divine injection.

You can take this medicine or nama-japa (repetition of God's name)yourself, for curing any disease. You can administer this marvellousmedicine to other patients also in your house or elsewhere. Sit bythe side of the patient and repeat, with sincere devotion and faith,the name of the Lord, like Hari Om, Sri Ram, Om Namahsivaya, and singhis names also: "Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare; HareKrishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare." Pray for his mercyand grace. All maladies and agonies will come to an end. Do thetreatment of nama-japa for at least two hours in the morning andevening. You will find the miraculous effect within a short time.Both the doctor and the patient should have perfect faith in theLord's name, his mercy and grace. The real doctor is only LordNarayana.

Lord Dhanvantari, the physician of the three worlds (who expoundedthe ayurvedic medical science), has himself declared: "By themedicine of the repetition of the names, Achyuta, Ananta, Govinda,all diseases are cured - this is my definite and honest declaration."

In all treatments Lord Narayana is the real doctor. You find thateven the world's best doctors fail to cure a dying king. You mighthave also heard of many instances where patients ailing from theworst type of diseases are cured miraculously, where even the ablestdoctors have declared the case hopeless. This itself is clear proofthat there is the divine hand behind all cures.

The divine name will eradicate the disease of birth and death andbestow on you moksa, liberation or immortality.

"When the Grace of the Guru and God is there, why is the mind still not perfectly controlled?" came a question from Swami Shyamananda.

"There must be self-effort also. Only when there is this self-effort will Grace come. A professor cannot answer the questions for you and make you pass. The Gita says: 'One should raise oneself'. Divine Grace alone helps one to raise oneself. Everybody should work out his own salvation. You may now ask, 'What then is Grace?'

"If an aspirant gets letters from his Guru clearing his doubts, that is Grace. If an aspirant comes here, takes Ganges bath and listens to lectures, that is Grace. Many people, even millionaires, are thirstingto come and bathe in the Ganges, but all do not get an opportunity of coming and having their wishes fulfilled. If good spiritual books are available for study, it is Grace. If one enjoys good health for practising Sadhana, that is Grace. If God so wishes, He can give liberation to the whole world in an instant, but He does not do so. Grace descends only when there is self-effort."

"You have to do whatever you can for your growth. Don't worry about your neighbors, your friends, other swamis, even your teacher. It doesn't matter what the teacher does. It is immaterial to you. You practise and you eat. If you eat, you can satisfy your hunger. No one else can eat for you, or enjoy for you. If you want to be healthy, you have to eat healthily and live a proper life. To think, 'If everyone is healthy, then I will be healthy automatically' is not possible. To be healthy you have to do it yourself. Always remember this. Just mind your business and carry on. Only then will your mind be peaceful when you meditate."-Swami Vishnu-devananda